Tail and head biting

[Blotch]

well originally I wanted to hybridize them. I have since abondoned that. This was an isolated incident - and they were seperated straight away.
While Hybrids do interest me, I am more interested in getting atleast one female blotchie and trying with those guys as well as trying to get my easterns going too. I understand you don't agree with hybrids, like most people on here, I've heard all the arguments before. Just be assured that as i said earlier, This was an isolated incident.

[Scotts1au]

Hi just a note about the head biting thing.

I've found that one of the best ways to determine whether they are female or not in the first instance is scale scarring on the head from previous mating attempts. I understand that head biting is not the intent but incidental head biting does often happen in mating attempts, although the object is to bite the shoulders and flanks.

My two cents worth

[aggiegirl]

Have been watching my suspected female for hemipens but haven't ever seen any evidence. Now that I've seen my male "flash" his, I'm pretty confident that she doesn't have any. I'm still not sure about the bite but I guess I'll do a bit more "sexing by behavior" when he gets older.

My kids love our blueys too. I'm the only one who gets to feed them by hand though. Don' t need any grounds for getting rid of them. Some of my relatives are horrified that our kids even hold them. The blueys are pretty gentle unless the item is snails!

[Zach]

It's so sad how reptiles have a bad name!

[Richard.C]

hi scott,are u saying bite marks on the head,and scars on head as a sign of females,or neck shoulder area?????,most of my experience there is with blotchys and head scarring for me is mostly on the males,females are neck shoulder region,i know its not a given though,as blueys are always doin something to make u think,and ive seen females do the aggressive thing and chase males around,lol,northerns,lol,feisty buggers,i cant let my 2 kimberley females near each other,yet with previous owner they were ok,but back to the topic,i see head biting as aggression,not a breeding attempt,but open to other possabilities

[Richard.C]

oh just a thought that popped in my head,ive seen retaliation bites to the head from females that dont want the males attention,or when one of either sex has been latched on to,eg males when they get all breeding season narky with each other

[Richard.C]

not all blueys are the gentle ones they make out to be,lol,but its the personality that u have to love hey

[Blotch]

This is what i was trying to tell you richard - head biting does take place during mating. My blotchie Lil mated with my eastern while he had a head lock on her. This is why I said he was overly aggressive. He did in fact mate with her too. just no babies.

[Scotts1au]

Just saying that if there are scars there they are often more prominant on the head area, probably because scarring occurs more there probably due to the bony skull underneath. Not saying that this is due to routine biting but incidental as part of the frenzy that is the violent mating act.

I had one male my original "Bluey" was a relatively small lowland blotchy - bit of a bugger when mating and would grab females by the head and death roll with them before finally latching onto their shoulder to mate.

Another relatively small male "Randy" would ride some of my bigger females around dog and pony style with my large females and would bite anywhere he could get a grip and latch on until the female wore out before having his way.

Either way all the females who had been mated ended up with some scuffing to the head.

I have found in the past that females are more likey to be touchy about other blueys being near them.

Back to the telling the sexes, from my experience the first best method of telling them apart without prodding is of course tail shape and length in blotchies, followed by body shape (female bodies often longer and more robust), followed by previous mating scars, which if present are more prominant on the head as irregularities in the surface texture.

As Richard says though they are all different.

Scott

[Blotch]

ahh the death roll, Seen One of my bloethies (Lance) do that. Scared the bajeebus out of me.